Communication (this may also be viewed as a weakness); able to provide
services to students of color, such as informing students of upcoming
activities through letters or other means of written communication.

Student academic assessment with the use of Faculty Assessment Questionnaire
(FAQ).

Personal counseling.

Assistance with class scheduling and academic counseling.

Offer computer lab and quiet study area.

Mentoring Program which matches students of color with concerned faculty
and staff.

"Global" understanding of issues facing students (students
of color, student-athletes, single parents, first generation college
students, working students, etc.); genuine concern for students and
student welfare.

Flexibility-able to adjust to urgent needs of individual students
and student groups.

Institutional knowledge-how to get things done to help students, who
to talk to.

Ability to connect students to internships/employment opportunities
within community due to networking; provide job, internship, and scholarship
information to students.

Weaknesses:

Services are not highly visible to all students of color.

Not all students understand the value of services provided by MSP.

Constantly subjected to stereotypes.

Difficulty in communication, in terms of informing all students of
color about important events, activities, programs, services, etc.

MSP is a "catch-all" department-assigned and expected to
deal with any and all issues regarding diversity; diversity needs to
become institutionalized.

Staff time constraints-too much to do, not enough time; person-power
stretched to the max.

Opportunities:

Able to work closely with Life Skills Coordinator in Athletic Department.

Able to follow-through in assisting student-athletes and students
of color improve academically.

Continuous improvement in all areas of MSP of services provided to
students of color.

Help to increase the number of students of color on campus.

Help to develop students so that they are more academically sound.

Mentor students of color.

Student base-with time and training current students would be excellent
ambassadors to other students, campus and community.

Community is interested in promotion of diversity-opportunity for
students in other places on campus and community such as volunteer experiences,
paid positions, diversity training, exposure, mentoring experiences,
etc.

Threats:

Lack of long-term institutional plan to recruit and retain minority
students, thus individual ideas and programs supercede in short-term
without building any strong foundation for program's success.

Lack of or difficulties in communication with others related to MSP-campus
and community.

Lack of support at an institutional level for MSP.

Lack of adequate resources to assist students-money, time, personnel.

Lack of true appreciation for diversity issues on campus at an institutional
and/or administrative level-dealing with those issues takes valuable
staff time away from serving students.

Lack of flexibility within the institution-all students are expected
to fit within certain parameters (pigeon-holing); takes staff time to
solve problems of students who don't quite "fit" within the
box.

Losing respect of the students of color due to special arrangements
that need to be made in certain circumstances.

EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT:

Campus:

Academic Learning Center, Write Place, Math Skills Center-utilization
of academic support services is key to academic success of students
of color.

Athletic Department-strong potential for support and influence for
student athletes of color.

Relationship established with students of color by other departments
can influence atmosphere/climate of campus perceived by students-positive
or negative experiences.

Faculty-perceptions that "teacher does not like me" can
translate into poor academic performance and failure.

School- or campus-related difficulties can limit a student's success
such as financial aid, housing, transportation to school, etc.

Current arguments in literature regarding the best model for serving
students of color:

Do separate services create comfort for students or isolate them

Provide a separate center with staff of color or have staff of
color available in all areas as contacts for students

University Themes

Academic Distinction

Student Life and Development will, through its programs, services and
cooperative ventures with faculty, compliment the academic mission of
the university. In addition, SLD will provide students with distinctive
opportunities to develop cultural sensitivity, leadership, social and
career oriented skills necessary for future success.

Current/continuing initiatives:

Advance Preparation Program (APP): APP is a summer scholarship program
open to all incoming freshman students who are admitted to SCSU. Students
earn college credits for courses they take during the program as well
as participate in informational seminars and social activities as they
learn about college life, the campus of SCSU and the St. Cloud community.
(Outcome measure: number of participants, retention of participants,
academic tracking of participants)

Tutoring-Richard R. Green House: Nearly every general education requirement
is tutored through the Richard R. Green House program. Students can
sign up through the MSP homepage or visit directly with tutors at the
Green House. Individual student schedules are accommodated. Study tables
are held daily for student athletes through the Athletes for Success
in the Classroom program. Student athletes are encouraged, and sometimes
required, by their athletic coaches to attend study tables to maintain
their academic standing. For specific classes, study sessions are held
prior to exams. One of the unique pieces of the MSP tutoring program
is that tutors are very flexible and arrange sessions based on the student's
schedule and can do so on short notice. (Outcome measures: numbers of
students served, number of tutoring hours, end-of-term grades of participants)

Make instructor contacts to track progress of at-risk students. (Outcome
measures: number of students assisted prior to critical point in term)

Academic advising and scheduling assistance: All three professional
staff are recognized advisors through the general ed advising system
. (Outcome measures: number of students assisted)

MSP Mentoring Program involving faculty, staff and students of color.
(Outcome measures: Retention and involvement of students of color, participation
in program by students and faculty/staff)

MSP Internship Initiative to aid students close to graduation who
are without financial aid. (Outcome measures: Number of students served
who graduate)

Emergency Book Loan Fund-provide short term emergency loans for text
books. (Outcome measures: Number of loans given, dollar amount of loans)

Cohort block scheduling of classes for first term following APP participation.

Minority Academic Support Center computer lab . (Outcome measures:
Number of students who use lab, number of hours lab is used)

Faculty Assessment Questionnaires-track students, establish target
list of students-at-risk, and follow-up with students and faculty. Need
to develop system using current technology to automate this process
to allow for better assessment. (Outcome measures: Academic progress
of students on target list; participation by Administrative Computer
Center personnel)

New initiatives for this academic year:

Community mentoring program. (Outcome measure: Number of student participants,
number of community participants)

Students of Color Orientation at beginning of semester. (Outcome measure:
Attendance numbers)

Seminar series for new students--In order to be successful academically,
students must be prepared in other facets of their lives. This series
explored issues related to students such as financial aid, jobs and
money matters; dealing with law enforcement; study strategies; and issues
faced by women of color. (Outcome measure: Attendance numbers)

South Africa initiative--Students of color in general do not participate
in study-abroad programs for a variety of reasons, one being that they
are often the only student of color in a large group of majority students.
This initiative will allow students of color to experience this academic
opportunity in a comfortable manner, while at the same time learning
about another (or their own) culture in detail. (Outcome measure: Interest
in participation, eventual institutionalization of program)

Future Goals:

Involve all first-year student athletes in Athletes for Success in
the Classroom in conjunction with Life Skills program.

Service Community

Student Life and Development will put students first in everything that
we do. Guided by periodic assessment, we will provide the highest quality
student services possible, cognizant of the diverse needs of our students.
Further, SLD will model and advance the values of civility and service
to others in an effort to develop a safer and more effective living-learning
community.

Create customized class schedules for first term for new students-arrange
several schedules, holding seats in classes, from which new students
can choose, insuring a core group of students of color in particular
classes.

Online tutoring scheduling-students can sign up for tutoring on MSP
homepage.

Newsletter.

E-mail communication with students-developing e-mail list.

Improved orientation for new students of color.

Seminar series touching on issues important to students of color including
such topics as studying and coping skills, financial management, challenges
for women of color, and safety on campus and in the community.

Respect and Responsibility Program to help educate all new and transfer
students.

Future Goals:

Use a pro-active approach to avoid future difficulties for new students.

Use a trained group of peers to provide peer mentorship and support
to insure continuous success for students.

Involve all first-year student-athletes in Athletes for Success. (Athletic
Department and Life Skills Program)

Find a suitable location to combine all MSP services in one area to
make a one-stop shop for students.

Diversity and Justice

Student Life and Development through staff contacts, programs and services
will foster an understanding of human differences and promote a just community
in which every student is free to learn and grow.

Departments within Student Life and Development will provide a supportive,
civil and welcoming environment for all members of the university community.

SLD will improve staff understanding of human differences and needs as
they pertain to the delivery of services.

Current/continuing initiatives:

Programming special events with the support of minority student organizations,
continually developing quality programs and events through the year
with a dual purpose: 1) To increase the cultural awareness and appreciation
among the majority population in order to create an environment that
is conducive to the success of students of color; and, 2) To create
a supportive environment for minority students and to help them remain
in contact with their own culture and heritage. Examples of specific
events are: Martin Luther King Birthday Celebration, Black History Month,
Chicano History Month, Hmong College Day, Black Issues in Education
Video Conference Series, theatre and music presentations, etc. (Outcome
measure: Attendance, student involvement in programming, numbers of
contracts processed)

Work with other departments across campus to create a supportive environment
conducive to the success of students of color. All departments on campus
must insure that their employees are able to handle culturally diverse
clients and the particular and unique issues that may be faced by students
of color. This office offers support and guidance to those areas by
serving as an advocate for students and offering assistance through
liaison activity with other offices when necessary. (Outcome measure:
Number of student contacts relating to liaison activity)

Work with local school districts to provide mentoring to younger students
by college students of color. This activity allows for students of color
to work in an off-campus setting and to serve as mentor/role models
to youngsters within the community. Students benefit from the responsibility
of such a program and the youngsters benefit from interacting with successful
students of color, and will perhaps look at college as a possibility
for themselves. (Outcome measure: Number of student participants, number
of mentees, number of mentoring hours spent)
Continue to work with the athletic department in presenting diversity
issues to increase cultural awareness. Such training reinforces the
affirmation of a culturally diverse population which benefits both majority
and minority students. (Outcome measure: Participant feedback, number
of participants)

Encourage students of color to take an active and participatory role
in organizations in which minority populations have been traditionally
underrepresented, such as Student Government. By encouraging participation,
students of color learn leadership and management skills as well as
increasing the overall interaction, and therefore awareness and understanding,
between students of color and majority students. Students of color may
need encouragement toward this end because, as in many instances on
a majority campus, they will be the only person of color within a particular
group. This can be intimidating. (Outcome measure: Number of participants
within particular organizations)

Collect and share video and printed resources. This collection is
available to any student, faculty or staff person (as well as community
person) who is interested in a particular issue. Videos range from documentaries
to educational to bibliographical. (Outcome measure: Number of video/reference
requests)

Advocate/incident reporting-Serve as a contact for those who may have
been a target of a hate crime (or know someone who has been), and help
that person in get the necessary assistance. Serve as an advocate in
contacting other departments to insure that student receives service
necessary to deal with incident. (Outcome measure: Number of students
assisted, overall climate and attitude changes)

New initiatives for this academic year:

Community mentorship program, placing students of color in high visibility
positions within the community. (Outcome measure: Number of participants,
number of community participants)

Student of Color orientation-Talk with students of color about general
and specific issues they may face on a majority campus, how to deal
with them, and where to find help/support. (Outcome measure: Number
of participants)

Respect and Responsibility: Sex, Race and Power orientation-Worked
cooperatively with Women's Center to revamp the mandatory sexual harassment
training to include training on racial sensitivity which is required
by all new incoming students to SCSU. (Outcome measure: Participant
feedback)

Future Goals:

Work with community entities to enhance programs for children of color
within the community, such as encouraging aspirations toward college.
(Outcome measure: more students of color entering higher ed institutions;
community service organizations such as Minnesota Community Affairs,
etc.)

Work toward the time when diversity and cultural programming and issues
will not be "special" programs but will be imbedded and infused
in all programs through the university.

Information Technology

Student Life and Development will develop and utilize information technology
ethically and appropriately to improve services and program access to
students and other constituents, with the goals of enhancing academic
success and learning in the context of a global society.

Current/continuing initiatives:

Make use of Web page/home page for Minority Student Programs and utilize
Internet to provide services and information to students, such as on-line
registration for tutorial services. (Outcome measure: Number of students
who sign up for tutoring services over using Web page, number of hits
to Web page)

Use current database of all new entering minority students to send
"welcome" letters from MSP. This process needs to be refined
so more accurate and up-to-date information is available to department.

Use e-mail to communicate with students about study groups (Richard
R. Green House). (Outcome measure: Usage)

Continuing to update Minority Academic Support Center computer lab.
(Outcome measure: Compatibility with software available at ALC and other
labs as licensure permits)

Expand the list of resources for internship and job opportunities
to include on Internet. Produce database of companies for employment
contacts. (SCSU Web wizards, MSP will coordinate with Career Services)

University-External Relationships

University-External Relationships will be the key to many of our aspirations.
Community perception of the value that the university provides determines
the level of our support. As a public university, SCSU has the responsibility
to be a leading force in intellectual, cultural, and economic development
and contribute to the fabric of central Minnesota and the Upper Midwest.

Student Life and Development, through its programs and staff leadership,
will contribute to the intellectual, cultural and economic development
of the citizens of Central Minnesota.

Student Life and Development will promote and model positive involvement
in the community by St. Cloud State University students and staff.

Current/continuing initiatives:

Co-sponsorship of events with community organizations like Multicultural
Children's Art Connection and Minority Community Affairs, etc. (Outcome
measure: Number of events, attendance)

Placement of students as employees at St. Cloud Children's Home. (Outcome
measure: Number of students placed)

Develop network of contacts by active staff participation in community
organizations, such as Police Review Board, LaCruz Housing Board, and
Mayor's Task Force on Diversity. (Outcome measure: Positive connections
due to networking)

Provide support to community groups like MCA. (Outcome measure: Evidence
of support-financial, in-kind contributions, staff time, etc.)

Support the African American Male Forum in providing social and educational
opportunities for community. (Outcome measure: Number of opportunities)

Continuing to partner with Stearns-Benton Employment Opportunities
to create job opportunities for students of color. (Outcome measure:
Number of students placed)

Partnership with St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce to promote community
mentoring programs. (Outcome measure: Number of students placed)

Continue to strengthen relationship with Target to promote internship
and job opportunities. (Outcome measure: Number of students placed)

Continue to promote the Inroads program which recruits minority students
for corporate and community leadership internship programs. (Outcome
measure: Number of students referred and placed)

Work with Public Safety to place students of color in part-time/full-time
positions. (Outcome measure: Number of students placed).

New initiatives for this academic year:

Seeking funding for emergency book loan from community sources in
addition to campus sources. (Community contacts)

Future Goals:

Develop program to take students involved in Athletes for Success
in the Classroom Program into area schools to tutor student athletes.
(School district personnel, Life Skills area).

Continue to develop partnerships that support youth in the area. (Community
organizations).